"That's the last one,"
I said after slicing the succubus clean in half.
The domain's sky remained the same—a deep crimson eye hung above, watching like a god condemning all life.
I stood still for a moment, staring at the floating island in the center. There, a half-destroyed stone throne stood. I reached out my hand, trying to destroy it… again. But, as before—it didn't work. No matter how much power I poured into it, the thing remained unchanged.
Was this a bug from the game carried into the real world? Or was it part of the original design?
Whatever. I couldn't be bothered to think too much about old problems.
Rather than waste time, I might as well finish the business at hand.
I turned around. On one of the lower floating islands, a black-haired, green-eyed woman stood frozen.
In an instant, I was standing right in front of her.
"I'm curious… why didn't you leave this domain? I set it so that any creature other than demons can leave, as long as they want to."
"I-I'll leave right now," she said, nervous.
"Too late."
I gave a thin smile.
"I just reset it. Now no one can leave without my permission."
"..."
Her expression was a mix of fear and confusion.
"Now, answer me one thing. How is it that you, a human, are working with succubi?"
She stayed silent.
Her voice was gone. Her eyes shifted restlessly, but her lips stayed shut—like anything she said would make her vomit.
I didn't care.
"Answer."
I spoke the word flatly, but with weight. My sword rested against her neck—deep enough to drain the color from her skin.
I added pressure with a curse of domination from within my domain.
Her body trembled. The stench of urine spread instantly.
Finally, in a choked voice, she said:
"I… I was sold… by my father. The succubi… they made a contract… I have to follow all their orders."
Her face looked like a human standing on the brink of death.
Sold? That still didn't explain why succubi would recruit a human woman. They usually preferred men.
I glanced at her stomach. Then placed my palm on it.
She flinched. But her body was too weak to resist.
I scanned her internal organs with detection magic. And I knew…
There was something there.
Inside, I could see an alien organ that did not belong to a human body.
I stabbed my bare hand into her stomach and pulled it out—an alien organ screaming in the form of writhing flesh. Its color was dark. Warm. And utterly vile.
Without hesitation, I used my holy power and healed the woman on the spot.
Her body shook. But now she was safe.
I dropped the parasite onto the ground and crushed it instantly.
CRACK.
Paralyzed. Dead.
"Kill me…"
Her voice was soft… fragile. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Why do I have to go through all this… What did I do wrong… My father… that bastard of a man sold his wife, sold his daughter… for money."
"Trash… I was forced to serve strangers for scraps of coins…"
"Disgusting… damn it… everything is about money, money, money…"
"If I had money… I wouldn't be like this…"
"I just want to live a normal life. I want to change…"
She cried.
I listened in silence.
The world is unfair. But no matter how painful, it keeps on turning like always.
I asked, calmly:
"If I give you money… will you truly change?"
She froze. Her eyes widened. But she couldn't answer.
And I didn't need her answer.
I pulled out a pouch of gold coins from under my cloak. Heavy. Full. Then I tossed it to the ground in front of her.
"Prove it. Don't just talk."
After that, I kicked her out of my domain.
Silence.
I shut down the domain.
The building returned to normal. The floor dry. The air still. As if nothing had happened.
Before this place got crowded and the city guards arrived, it was better for me to disappear.
My body unraveled.
My flesh scattered into a flock of black crows.
And I flew away.
...
I woke up from the narrow wooden bed and reached for the silver pocket watch lying on the table.
The long hand pointed at twelve. The short hand was almost at seven.
06:47 a.m.
After last night's hunt, I rented this inn room for two days. Different face. Different identity. Fake name. Clean trail.
The scene from last night—now a mess. Dozens of officers surrounded the place, combing through it, searching. But with barely any evidence and witnesses who only remembered screams and blood… they couldn't conclude anything.
Just as planned.
Other than the green-eyed woman, no one had seen my real face.
I had even observed the situation from above in my crow form—perched on a wooden beam, watching naked people running in panic. Quite amusing.
I opened the window.
The morning air brushed against my face. Fresh. Cold. Ordinary.
Below, the townsfolk were already busy. Bread sellers opened their stalls, horse-drawn carts passed by, children ran along carrying loaves still steaming.
Nothing looked like the world had nearly collapsed last night.
I rolled up my sleeves and bent slightly, splashing water from the basin onto my face. The water was cold.
This inn was simple, but clean enough. The metal basin and rough towel had been brought to my room by the staff last night.
It reminded me…
Back then, I was the type to skip morning showers. A quick face wash, cologne, done. Off to campus.
But after I got married…
My wife would always scold me if I hadn't bathed in the morning. Not a loud scolding—more of a long, nagging drag. There was a tone of insistence, but also affection.
I'd thought of arguing. But what was the point?
That would be a bad example for the kids.
And I could never bring myself to raise my voice at her.
Mornings like this… they feel like a faraway shadow, yet still warm in my mind.
I finished getting ready. Straightened my clothes. Today, I would look different.
My hair, dark brown, slicked neatly back. Bright blue eyes thanks to a little optical illusion in the pupils. A sharper jawline. A small round pair of glasses perched on my nose.
Formal attire. A light gray suit jacket. Crisp white shirt. Polished leather shoes.
My look now—like an academic, a historian, visiting Novaria to study ruins and old manuscripts.
One of my favorite disguises. People are far more willing to trust someone who looks like they seek knowledge, not suspicion.
I slipped the pocket watch into the inner jacket pocket and left the room.
Time to find food.
Novaria's cuisine didn't have much variety. This city was known more for steel forging and magic stone mining—not for flavor.
If you wanted decent food, you stayed as far as possible from the rows of forges and smelters. At least that way, your plate stayed free from coal dust.
I sat at a modest eatery, ordering warm bread and a bowl of thick soup. As usual… not enough salt. Bland.
But enough to fill my stomach.
After eating, I walked toward my main destination this morning: a bookstore.
Bookstores were rare these days. Not only because books were expensive to produce, but also because access to them was limited. In some countries, public libraries had started appearing. But those were exceptions.
Most governments—both here and in my old world—saw literacy as a threat. They didn't want the people too smart. The ignorant were easier to guide. Easier to deceive.
Cruel.
But also… effective.
Ironically, even in the modern age of my old world—with all information accessible at your fingertips—there were still many who chose not to care. Not to think. Not to learn.
Those kinds of people… were usually the loudest in giving lectures. And usually, they were the ones I'd be quickest to slap. Literally.
I arrived at a small, old bookstore. Its wood paint was fading, but the smell was distinct—the scent of dust, ink, and aged leather.
I opened the door. A bell rang.
Inside, an old man sat in a wooden chair, reading in a hunched posture. A round pair of glasses balanced at the tip of his nose.
"Morning, Mr. Liam. How are you today?" I greeted.
He looked up. His gaze was a bit cloudy, but still sharp.
"Hm? Today's the same as any other, nothing special. But wait… how do you know my name, young man?"
"Oh, sorry, sorry. That was rude of me. My name is Joseph. I came here on my professor's recommendation."
"Professor?"
He furrowed his brows, thinking for a moment.
"…Are you one of Lina's students?"
"Yes, sir. I am indeed her student."
"Heh… never thought I'd meet one of Lina's pupils. How's she doing these days?"
"Still the same, sir. Strict, and diligent."
"Hahaha! That's always been her way. She's loved history… even more than people." He smiled faintly, full of memory. "Ah, never mind. What brings you here, Mr. Joseph?"
"My professor said you keep many copies of old historical texts of this country. I'm interested in tracing its earliest foundations."
"Hm. I do have a few. Go look in the back shelf over there." He pointed to the far right corner of the room.
"Thank you."
I walked toward the indicated shelf, scanning the rough leather-bound volumes.
Mr. Liam and Professor Lina were among the rare few commoners who had managed to attain higher education in this country. Their struggle was no joke. I had heard their story before, back when I had disguised myself as Lina's student during a mission in the game.
At the time, Lina often mentioned "Mr. Liam" when discussing the earliest historical archives. She said he was the one who saved most of the documents now used as reference.
After my mission, I had once returned to the starter city… just to make sure.
And here he was—older now, his eyes dimmer. But with the same spirit.
I stood for hours in front of the shelf, reading page after page without lifting my head. My left hand holding the book, my right hand turning the pages slowly.
Eventually, my eyes stopped on a book titled: The Red Knight.
An intriguing title.
The Red Knight was the moniker of a legendary knight who defected from his own country and founded the kingdom that would eventually become the roots of this land. He… was this nation's first king.
I brought the book to the front desk, placing it before Mr. Liam.
"I'd like to buy this book."
Mr. Liam glanced at the title, then at my face. His expression shifted, slightly worried.
"Buy it?" he asked.
"Mr. Joseph… are you sure you want to buy this? What about your funds? It's better to save up, tuition payments aren't cheap. If you'd like, I can lend it to you instead. For free. Don't be shy."
His tone was sincere. He truly worried about my finances.
Perhaps because I had introduced myself without a surname. Perhaps because my clothes were too modest. In this country, commoners rarely had family names—and even more rarely could they pursue higher education without sacrificing their lives.
I smiled faintly. Not from amusement, but because it was touching.
"No need to worry, Mr. Liam. I've saved up long enough to live as a student."
The line was vague enough to preserve my disguise.
"So… how much is it?"
He looked relieved, though still slightly hesitant. He even offered again to let me take it without paying.
Naturally, I refused.
I paid for the book in gold coins without further discussion.
I'm wealthy, Mr. Liam. Just not in a way that can be explained in one conversation.
After the transaction, I walked toward the door.
From behind me, Mr. Liam's voice rang soft but clear.
"May you graduate soon, lad."
I glanced back briefly and gave him a light nod.
"Thank you."
Then I stepped out into Novaria's cold, crowded streets.
...
December 31st, 1299
11:59 p.m.
Only one minute left before the year changes.
I sat alone atop the tallest tower in Novaria. I'd brought my own chair and table up here—thanks to storage magic—but the view from this height was unmatched.
On the table: a cup of cheap tea I'd bought at the market, and a basket of homemade sandwiches. The tea was no longer piping hot, but still warm enough to calm the mind.
Tonight was quiet. The cold air bit at my skin, but it didn't sting. The sky was pitch black—without stars, without a moon.
At exactly midnight…
From the north, far beyond the continent, a red light pierced the heavens, forming a towering pillar visible even from here.
The sky suddenly changed—from deep black to blazing crimson.
Thunder roared. It lashed out like furious veins from a cracked sky. The sound of explosions echoed, pounding against the eardrums, striking fear even into those who had no idea what was happening.
I simply stared in that direction, while below, the noise began. People startled awake. Windows thrown open. Confused shouts. The cries of children. Panic.
And it wasn't just Novaria.
The entire world… was awake.
This was no ordinary event.
That red pillar… was a sign.
A sign that the demon world and this world had become connected—once again. After thousands of years. After the old invasion had been forgotten.
The Gate had opened.
The demons would come again, and that bloody history would repeat itself.
The pillar slowly shrank, dimmed, and vanished.
But the sky still burned. Crimson light spread behind the dark clouds, painting a sight no human hands could ever recreate.
The first sight players saw when this game first launched.
The first sight that changed everything.
I set my teacup down. Picked up a sandwich from the basket, and took a slow bite.
"What a beautiful view," I said casually.
As if the apocalypse was nothing more than a New Year's Eve show.